Leesburg loves MELT, having voted it Loudon County’s Best Burger for six years running. While the burgers are worth the trip alone, the milkshakes, malts, and floats are what make MELT stand out to us. Choose from twelve unique milkshakes with delicious renditions lie Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies, “Black and White,” and Rich Smooth Mocha. Over 21? Go for the Stout Beer milkshake. The floats, too, come in the over 21 varieties, as well as the usual kind. Don’t forget to ask about the Shake of the Month.

Each year, the Washington Post polls readers, industry insiders and fellow Washington Post staffers to find the area’s most essential dishes, to be featured in their annual 40 Eats issue. To land a spot on the list, each nomination has to pass a taste test. Then it is pitted against other contenders as they curate a selection that could cater to meat-eaters and vegetarians, sweets lovers and fried-food fans, suburban dwellers and urbanites without cars.

This year, Melt Gourmet Cheeseburger made the list for the most essential Cheeseburger in the D.C. area! The Washington Post writes:

“Is there such a thing as a destination hamburger? If so, it’s found at Melt Gourmet Cheeseburger in Leesburg, a solid hour’s drive northwest of Washington. The standard cheeseburger here is a statuesque beauty, a half-pound patty formed with an Angus blend of short rib, brisket, chuck and other trimmings. Tucked inside a house-made sourdough bun, the patty comes draped with a melted, semi-translucent blanket of American cheese, as surreal as a Dalí painting. One bite, and the burger drips its juices all over the place, suggesting that Melt not only knows how to buy and hand-form good ground beef, but also how to grill it.”

My cheeseburger was textbook. The thick, one-inch patty was seared and coated with cheese that clung like a wet suit. The interior, pink and inviting, oozed juices all over the wax-paper-covered waiter tray that ferried my burger to the table as if it were being presented to royalty. The burger was a tad underseasoned, but, given how much I loved it, my complaint carries all the authority of a film critic who claims “La La Land” would have been better if Ryan Gosling had worn better shoes. The only issue I had with the Paris burger and its ripe, runny Brie was that I couldn’t finish it all.”

Written by Tim Carman, who serves as the full-time writer for the Post’s Food section and as the $20 Diner for the Weekend section, a double duty that requires he ingest more calories than a draft horse.

MELT Gourmet Cheeseburgers is a catchy name for a restaurant and it should clue patrons in to what’s next: an array of over-the-top burgers finished with a melt of cheese. Not a chain eatery, this small and straightforward Virginia spot becomes jammed even before mealtimes. It’s no wonder, as who would not want to indulge in a well-stacked bacon-blue cheese burger piled up with glazed onions, bacon, lettuce and Gorgonzola?

MELT Gourmet Cheeseburgers is a catchy name for a restaurant and it should clue patrons in to what’s next: an array of over-the-top burgers finished with a melt of cheese. While the concept may seem simple, creating such a diverse line of burger flavors — 19 in all — must have challenged the owners. Not a chain eatery, this small and rather straightforward eat-in or take-out place becomes jammed at and even before mealtimes. It’s no wonder, as who would not want to indulge in a well-stacked bacon-blue cheese burger piled up with glazed onions, bacon, lettuce and Gorgonzola? Or why not a fire-roasted green chile cheeseburger with garlic, green chiles, sharp cheddar, crispy bacon and shaved red onion? Not satisfied with beef as the foundation, the kitchen creates lamb, turkey, shrimp, crab, tuna, vegetable or bison burgers, too — even a Peking duck burger — to keep customers happy. Sides include the usual fries plus sweet potato fries with Marshmallow Fluff for dipping. Don’t miss out on the thick, icy milkshakes, so when it’s time for a dessert like one of the Chocolate Bars it’s easy to skip past them.

The April 22, 2016 article for “The 50 Best Burgers in America, by State” by MSN & PureWow has given the win to MELT Gourmet Cheeseburgers for the state of Virginia! They write:

“What’s the only thing better than munching on a buffalo burger with roasted garlic, caramelized onions, Wisconsin sharp cheddar and horseradish sauce? Washing it down with a double dark chocolate milkshake.”

“This distinguished burger bistro crafts its own patties using all natural Angus beef. Diners also recommend the golden French fries, sea-salted onion rings and stout beer milkshakes. A TripAdvisor reviewer wrote, “They have traditional and gourmet burgers. I had a lamb burger which was absolutely amazing! The hamburgers are humongous. And the taste, well let’s just say you need to try one.”

Burgers are like opinions. Everyone thinks theirs is the best. Like any food, it all comes down to taste. But when it comes to winning the hearts — and stomachs — of Virginia, these 16 places are ranked at the top. Even if you’re a die-hard fan of your local burger joint, or won’t eat anything you haven’t cooked on the grill yourself, these burgers are worth checking out. You’ll thank me, I promise.

What to try: The Diner “Blue Plate” Special. An extra-large beef burger with applwood smoked bacon, homemade pimento cheese, lettuce, tomato, a sunny side-up fried egg and signature house sauce. Once you see the size of these burgers, you’re not going to want more than one meal, so you might as well pack all three into one stunning burger.

Other perks: All of their buns are made in-house and baked fresh daily. Plus, they offer “Burger of the Month Specials” and fantastic fries. It’s clear to see why MELT has been voted “Best Burger in Loudoun” 3 years running.

VIRGINIA: Serving hamburgers massive enough to split, Leesburg’s super-popular Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers is the real deal, according to diners. Melt Gourmet won best burger in its county, boasting freshly baked buns and creative concoctions, like the lump crab and Tex-Mex burgers.